Improved reacting water-wheel



NITED STATES GEORGE \V. PITTOCK, JOI-IN B.

PATENT EEIOE.

sTOTT, AND GALEN RICHMOND, OE TROY, NEw YORK.

IMPROVED REACTING WATER-WHEEL.

To a/ZZ whom, t may concern:

Be it known that we, GEORGE W. PITTOOK,

JOHN B. STOTT, and GALEN RICHMOND, of the city of Troy and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Form and Mode of Construction for Reacting Water-Wheels; and we declare the following specification, with the drawings accompanying and forming part of the same, to be a full and perfect description thereof.

Ourapparatus consists of a pair of reacting or turbine wheels placed one over the other, moving in opposite directions, and geared together so that their combined operation may impel one common shaft passing through the centers of both wheels.

Figure l is a perspective representation of the wheels in place, the hither half of their inclosin g casing or cylinder being removed so as to give a view of the wheels. Fig. 2 is a plan of the upper and Fig. 3 a plan of the lower wheel, designed to show the horizontal lines of the upper and lower edges of the buckets, the thick lines marking the upper and the light lines the lower edges of the buckets.

Similar letters denote the same parts of the apparatus.

The frame of each wheel is a conical shell A A, with a slight taper upward, the outer periphery of the bottom of the upper wheel coinciding with the top of the lower wheel, so that when the frames are in place one over the other they shall together form a cone of slight taper from the bottom of the lower Wheel to the top of the upper one. The top of the cone is closed by a cap E to prevent the access of water to the interior, and through this cap the shaft X, attached to the lower wheel, passes. These cones are placed concentric with and within a cylinder-casing B B, leaving a space between them for the revolution of the buckets, which being fastened to the cone extend nearly to the cylinder. These buckets are hollow, being intended to carry the water through them, and are constructed of front and back and end plates each. The lines of formation of the front and back plates are arcs of circles, and vary as to the direction and length of radius of each placte in every varying line of height, but each separate bucket (or pair of plates) is similar to the others in the same horizontal line. The general direction of these lines will be understood from the diagrams, Figs. 2 and 3, where the lines ofthe upperedges of each bucket is given at C C C C and the lines of the lower edges at D D D D. The lines uniting these from the top to the bottom of each plate are shown at g h n, Fig. l, and are curvilinear, the direction from the top downward, being in the upper part of the bucket more perpendicular than a straight line from the upper to the lower edge thereof, then curving slightly to a more horizontal direction, and finishing its course in the upper wheel with a direction more perpendicular than its first course, so that the water issuing from it may strike the bucket of the lower wheel at an angle not very oblique to the axis of its motion. In the lower bucket the average inclination ot' its curves from the perpendicular is somewhat less than the upper one. rlhe upper lines of the buckets are at avery considerable Obliquity to its radial lines, while the lower lines are very nearly radial.

The cross-section of area of the lower part of the buckets is less than the upper part, and in the lower bucket are much smaller next the cone than at the periphery. The object of this method of construction is to direct the course of the water toward the out-side portion of the bucket, and increase the powerof the water by carrying it farther from the center of motion of the apparatus.

The gearing of the wheels is thus effected. Around the inner edge of the cone of the upper wheel are teeth d a. Upon the axis X, which being ixed to the lower wheel passes through the hub of the upperwheel, is a pinion-wheel b. A third wheel c, tttinginto both these, is pivoted within the cap E, (its place shown by dotted lines at e, Fig. 1,) so that when the cap (which in the drawings is represented as lifted from its seat) is in place the wheel o gears into both, and consequently the revolution 0f the upper wheel in one direction will drive the shaft with its lower wheel in the reverse direction to the upper wheel, and at a speed proportionate to the differences in the two wheels. The true proportion is yet to be ascertained. We propose at Iirst to arrange the lower wheel to travel about twice and oneeighth as fast as the upper wheel.

The operation of the Wheel is simple. The Water being admitted to the top of the upper Wheel in forcing its Way down Causes it to revolve. Its eXit-Water instead of passing off uselessly is projected against the buckets of the lower Wheel, giving effect to it also, both as a direct and reactive Wheel. This being geared to the upper wheel combines the power of both.

This mode of gearing, We believe, has great advantages in simplicity and lightness over any method of combining the movements of two Wheels similarly situated.

We claim- 1. The combination-bucket formed by the union of two separate buckets Whose lines are arranged substantially as described in the Within specification, so as to form a hollow box, through which the water passes in operating the wheel.

2. The mechanical arrangement and application of the gearing to the Wheel and shaft Within the upper section of the cone of the upper Wheel, in combination with the cap which covers it, substantially as set forth in the Within specification.

GEORGE W. PITTOOK. JOHN B. STOTT. GALEN RICHMOND.

Witnesses:

RICHD. VARICK DE WITT. W. C. MILLER. 

